Quote:
Originally Posted by Sven K
These bats are know to shatter into some nasty, pointy shards. It's only a matter of time until a player gets seriously injured (I'm thinking impaled). MLB knows this and is taking a risk by doing nothing about it.
I am of the opinion that MLB will eventually be forced to modify or outlaw the maple bats.
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There is a severe problem with the supply of ash for the traditional bats. It is caused by the emerald ash borer, a beetle that has killed millions of ash trees nationwide. It has already cost the forestry industry billions of dollars, and can easily imperil the wood bat industry. It is believed to have arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material in Asian cargo ships or airplanes.
Using maple helps relieve that potential shortage of quality ash. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out.